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. Sunday, 17 March, 2002


Church Attack in Pakistan Kills Five, Wounds 45

VOA News
17 Mar 2002
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Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has ordered police to find those responsible for Sunday's grenade attack on a church in Islamabad's diplomatic quarter that killed five people and wounded 45. 

The dead include an American diplomat's wife, his 17-year-old daughter, an Afghan, a Pakistani, and a fifth unidentified victim. The wounded include seven Iranians, an Iraqi, and Ethiopian, and the Sri Lankan ambassador to Pakistan. 

General Musharraf calls the attack a ghastly act of terrorism aimed at sabotaging Pakistan's national interests. 

An outraged President Bush condemned what he calls an act of murder that cannot be tolerated or justified. 

There has been no claim of responsibility. But Pakistani authorities are blaming Islamic militants who oppose the U.S.-led war on terrorism and Pakistan's crackdown on religious extremists. 

The Protestant International Church is located in a heavily guarded section of Islamabad, about 300 meters from the U.S. embassy. It was packed with worshippers when witnesses say a man ran in and hurled up to six grenades. It is unclear if he escaped or was killed in the blasts. 

Religious violence between majority Sunni and minority Shiite Muslim militants has increased in Pakistan in the past week, but attacks against religious minorities are rare. 

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.

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